5 Leadership Lessons from our “People” Expert, Ed Welsh

In the Boss’s Day spirit (it’s right around the corner!), we’ve been reflecting on traits of some of our favorite bosses and leaders and what we admire about them. We decided to gather some input from our own “People” expert, Ed Welsh. Ed serves as our Chief People Officer here at Edible®, and we asked him about his favorite leadership lessons that anyone can apply.

I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to coach and work with some incredible leaders. I’ve learned a lot from these individuals who have also helped me grow both personally and professionally. Here are some of my favorite leadership lessons that I’ve learned and applied:

Be you – First things first, be you. So many leaders change who they are when they’re finally in that leadership role because they think that is what’s expected of them. Remember that YOU got the job because of who YOU are. Trying to be someone else is exhausting, and work is hard enough. Don’t compromise what’s important to you as a result of the position you’re in!

Listen openly– You don’t always need to be right. Just because you’re in charge, doesn’t mean that your team doesn’t know better! Listen to all feedback, welcome it, and don’t change or react to feedback just to react. If you listen openly, you’ll learn a lot from your team and colleagues. You never know, you may see things from a different perspective!

Get to you know your team– Take the time to understand what’s important to your team. I find this very important and beneficial, no matter your role. Ask yourself these questions: What drives them? What inspires them? What do they want to do? If you don’t have answers, interact with your team to find out! Engage them, develop them, and get them involved. This will not only contribute to your team’s growth, but your own as well!

Accountability– Don’t be afraid to hold people accountable – this is critical. You’re accountable for driving the results of your project, team, department, and company. Provide your team with the flexibility to grow, learn, and try new things, but make sure that performance expectations are clear. This doesn’t need to be scary – it just creates a fully open and transparent working environment between the leader and their team!

Never stop learning – I find this last lesson to be of the utmost importance. You should NEVER stop learning from those around you! Leadership styles and needs are quite fluid, and it’s important to stay up to speed. Soak in all the knowledge you can, and learn from others around you. It will help you grow tremendously!